By Donna, on April 14th, 2012
Both teachers and parents have homework to complete before entering into a conference with each other. Communicating and sharing information about a child’s progress, strengths, weaknesses, areas of concern, social-emotional and motor development must be handled professionally, calmly and in a manner that demonstrates sensitivity towards the parent as well as the student.
Teachers should gather and chronologically organize a cross section of work to share with the parent. He or she should be cognizant that the mom and or dad will be sensitive to the teacher’s comments and should always begin a session with a smile and a . . . → Read More: Conferences
By Donna, on March 19th, 2012
Even though Easter and Passover are religious Judeo-Christian holidays, we can and should address family traditions holiday foods, celebrations, songs, games, and activities in the classroom, while we leave the religious aspects of the holidays at home with our families. I feel that if we skip over the holidays, we are compromising our teaching goals by ignoring what children are showing an interest in. And so, I will share with you, a few developmentally and politically appropriate activities and songs to enjoy with your boys and girls.
Science: Discuss where baby chicks come from.
Discuss which other animals lay . . . → Read More: Easter and Passover
By Donna, on March 2nd, 2012
The shooting of innocent children that occurred in Ohio this past week has left me feeling sad, powerless, and disappointed. It amazes me, that in our great nation, such a senseless and horrific act of violence has occurred once again. I ask myself how a young man could be so angry that he felt the only way to deal with his demons was to murder innocent people. I ask myself how those who knew him did not understand the depth of his pain and or anger. I ask myself, are we so busy with surviving that we turn our . . . → Read More: Shootings In Ohio
By Donna, on February 18th, 2012
The Wikipedia Thesaurus defines FRUSTRATION as the feeling/ emotional reaction that accompanies an experience where attaining one’s goals seems impossible. It goes on to say that frustration may cause the individual to feel dissatisfied, aggressive, or even as if he/she is locked within a cage.
And so, we can see that there are varying degrees of frustration, from feeling mildly dissatisfied to excessively thwarted. Like me, are you asking yourself, who feels what? Are babies and children capable of such strong reactions when needs are ignored? Or, are those extremes just typical for adults?
To answer that question, let’s . . . → Read More: Frustration
By Donna, on January 31st, 2012
It seems unbelievable that the month of February is upon us. Not only is it a special month for me because it is both my birthday and my dog’s, but, it is also one of my favorites for I absolutely adore Valentine’s Day. The original significance of the holiday is still intact for those who attend parochial school, but, for the rest of us, it is an awesome time to discuss feelings, build empathy, reinforce shapes, create colors, perform experiments, sing about loving and caring, learn about the postal service and writing letters, and of course making and sending . . . → Read More: Happy February
By Donna, on January 14th, 2012
Many elementary schools have adopted policies that demand its teachers adhere to prescribed curriculums so that students’ chances of scoring successfully on standardized tests improves. Teachers who do not agree with the rigorous constraints cannot challenge their superiors without fear of jeopardizing their careers. And so, we have a state full of classrooms with many unhappy, unmotivated teachers teaching our children. I wonder what our children are learning and more importantly, what aren’t they being encouraged to do, think, and learn. What happens when children stop playing, for there is no time, stop creating, for there may be more . . . → Read More: Sad Classrooms
By Donna, on January 4th, 2012
Happy 2012! I wish each and every one of you a year of peace, good health, prosperity, joy, laughter, compassion, serenity and inspiration. After the hustle and bustle of December, January is the perfect time to slow down and rededicate yourself to creating a stimulating, developmental, and joyous environment for your students. It seems amazing to note how the children change over the holidays; some appear to make developmental leaps while others appear to require more attention and reminders about proper behavior. Please join me in creating Magical “New Year’s” Moments for your preschoolers by introducing activities from my . . . → Read More: Happy New Year 2012
By Donna, on December 6th, 2011
If you are teaching young children at this time of year, I feel that it is imperative to be aware and sensitive to the customs, rituals, and traditions that your students and their families adhere to. It is also very important to be knowledgeable about your individual school’s rules that govern holidays and celebrations.
To me, the month’s goals should include holiday traditions, non-religious, yet festive, songs of the season, and stories, both fictional and real that reflect joy, love, and the beauty of giving. It is a wonderful time of the year to invite families into the classroom . . . → Read More: Holidays
By Donna, on November 9th, 2011
It seems unbelievable that Thanksgiving, 2011 will be here in a few weeks! As I prepare my “to do” list, I am also thinking about the people in my life, my happiness, fears, disappointments, and pleasures as well as those loved ones who have passed and are missed each and every day.
To my family, friends, coworkers, and fellow zumba dancers, I thank you for the joy that you bring to my life, to the help that you have offered, for your laughter and friendship and of course for your continued empathy and understanding.
I thank the children who . . . → Read More: Giving Thanks
By Donna, on October 17th, 2011
“Forever Love” is a sensitive, beautifully illustrated picture book that explores the everlasting love between a terminally ill parent with his child.
“Room for One More” is a wonderful book to share with young children for it focuses on the heart’s ability to expand as a new baby is welcomed into a family. The story discusses feelings and unconditional love.
“Margaret the Magnificent” is the first in the Margaret series of stories. It introduces the magical super-dog as she travels the globe in order to help a little girl find the courage and self confidence she needs to begin . . . → Read More: My Books
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